Some of the commenters on my Roboform to Keypass post noticed that I moved to LastPass and wanted a comparison, so here it goes.
Keypass and Lastpass really serve two different audiences. Keepass is a separate program on your computer with plug-ins for browser integration. No Keepass plugins ever worked well enough for me. LastPass is browser based with extensions (or plugins) for every major browser on every platform. LastPass uses the same master password model as Keepass so if you’re comfortable with that you should be right at home with LastPass.
Once I realized this key difference the decision to switch was much easier. The fact is a vast majority of most people’s passwords, like mine, are used in browser. Auto filling and form saving saves so much time over Keepass where I always had to copy/paste passwords from the Keypass app as the hacked together plugins for Keypass .
Like Keepass, Lastpass is free for use on the desktop. A premium subscription for $12 per year gets you mobile apps (iOS/Android/BlackBerry/Win Mobile), multifactor authentication, and priority support. The iOS app is much, much better than any of the Keepass apps available. I subscribe to the Lastpass/Xmarks combo package for $20/yr this gives me access to my passwords and bookmarks from everywhere. LastPass is so good and seamless that I would pony up the $12/yr just to support the company.
One particularly nice feature is when you need a password for use on the desktop, if you’re setting up an instant messaging client for example. LastPass has an option to copy password and asks for your master password before copying it to the clipboard. It’s a nice little added security check so someone cannot sit at your computer while logged into Lastpass and copy your passwords. You can disable this feature temporarily if you’re setting up multiple accounts at the same time.
The only caveat, Lastpass’s data is stored online (in the cloud) to facilitate syncing of your passwords on every browser and every device you use. Your passwords are encrypted prior to upload and that’s good enough for me. I just renewed my premium subscription which means I’ve been using Lastpass over a year now without a hiccup!